Seeking to become the first back-to-back U.S. Women’s Amateur champ since Kelli Kuehne achieved the feat in 1994-1995, Danielle Kang won two matches Thursday to make her way into the quarterfinals at Rhode Island Country Club.
Kang defeated Cindy Ha, 2 and 1, in the third round of the Women’s Am at the 6,399-yard, par-71 Donald Ross course in Barrington. The 18-year-old will take on Demi Frances Runas in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Down by one on the 12th hole, Kang corrected a swing flaw that resulted in dead-on iron play and a 2-up lead with two holes to go. A conceded two-footer for birdie on the par-3 17th ended Ha’s tourney.
“I was unsure of myself until No. 15, and for somebody young, Cindy is really good,” Kang told the USGA’s Rhonda Glenn. “It was whoever made minimum mistakes. We’re both tired.”
While co-medalists Lydia Ko and Jihee Kim lost in earlier contests, Kang has plenty of competition remaining before she can defend her title. Stephanie Kono, 21, brings a resume that includes 22 USGA championships into her quarterfinal match with current NCAA champion LSU’s Austin Ernst.
Kono, who ended Ko’s run in Thursday’s second-round match, 3 and 2, bested UCLA teammate Tiffany Lua, 2 and 3, to make it into Friday’s quarterfinals bracket. Now the oldest player in the field, Kono told Golf Digest’s Ryan Herrington she felt like an oldster playing 14-year-old Ko, the world’s top-ranked female amateur.
“I used to be like her,” Kono said after the Ko match. “Time flew.”
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out on the Waggle Room, Boston Golf Examiner, National Golf Examiner, and GottaGoGolf websites. You may also follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.)
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